(Reuters) – Russia ordered Ukrainian troops fighting at the southern port of Mariupol under siege to surrender their arms by 6 a.m. Moscow Time (0300 GMT) Sunday in order to save their lives.

According to Russia’s Defence Ministry, its troops have cleared Mariupol’s urban areas. Only a few Ukrainian fighters were left in a city steelwork on Saturday.

Moscow claimed to have almost taken over Mariupol. It was here that the worst fighting occurred and it suffered from humanitarian catastrophes. This would mark the fall of the largest city since the February 24th invasion.

The defence ministry released a statement saying that “Regarding the terrible situation at Azovstal’s metallurgical facility, and being guided by pure humane principles”, the Russian Armed Forces offered the militants from nationalist battalions or foreign mercenaries on April 17th, 2022. They also offer to end hostilities and surrender their arms.”

It stated that “all who give up their arms will be protected” and that the defense could evacuate the site by 10:00 a.m. with no weapons or ammunition.

Kyiv did not immediately respond.

According to President Volodymyr Zilenskiy, “The situation in Mariupol is extremely difficult”. “Our soldiers and the wounded are all blocked. The humanitarian crisis is real… The guys defend themselves.”

Moscow’s long-range missile attack on the country was launched after its Black Sea warship had been submerged. Moscow stated that it had hit a Kyiv tank factory. A loud explosion and smoke was seen rising over the Darnytskyi region in southeast Russia. According to the mayor, at least one person died and medical personnel were trying to rescue others.

According to the Ukrainian military, Russian warplanes had taken off from Belarus and fired missiles towards the Lviv area near the Polish border. Four cruise missiles were also shot down by Ukrainian air defenses.

This western city has been relatively unaffected so far and serves as refuge for international aid agencies and refugees.

TWISTED STEEL, BLASTED STEEL

Reuters journalists went to Mariupol and found the Illich Steelworks. It is one of two steel plants in which underground bunkers and tunnels were used by defenders. Moscow claimed it captured it Friday.

With no sign that there were defenders, the factory became a rubble of twisted steel and blast concrete. Numerous bodies of civilians were found scattered along nearby streets.

Russian defense ministry stated that their troops “completely cleared Mariupol’s urban areas of Ukrainian forces” and had also “blocked the Azovstal Steelworks “remnants”, RIA news agency reported. The Russian defence ministry stated that the Ukrainian army had lost more then 4,000 troops in the area as of Saturday.

Russia is accused of trying “deliberately to destroy everybody” in Mariupol, Zelenskiy claimed and his government was still in touch with the defenders. Moscow claims that Ukrainian troops are not in urban districts anymore was also ignored by Zelenskiy.

According to the governor of Kharkiv, in eastern Ukraine, at least one person died and 18 were injured by a missile strike. The smoke billowed from the burning of cars, and the remains in some buildings that were left behind.

Russia announced that it had hit a repair facility for military vehicles in Mykolaiv near the southern front.

These attacks came after Russia announced on Friday that it will intensify long-range strike in retaliation to unspecified acts “sabotage and “terrorism”. This was just hours after the Moskva, its Black Sea ship, had been confirmed as sinking.

Washington and Kyiv claim that the Ukrainian missiles struck the ship. Moscow claims it was destroyed by a fire, and that its 500 crew members were evacuated.

Russia’s Defence Ministry posted video of Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov as the chief of the Navy, and about 100 sailors, it claimed, being members of the crew, at a parade ground.

RUSSIA’S BIGGEST PRICE

Russia would take Mariupol as its biggest victory in war. It’s the Donbas’ main port, and a region with two southeast provinces that Moscow asks to be ceded completely to the separatists.

According to Ukraine, Russian forces have not advanced in other Donbas areas of Donetsk or Luhansk. Overnight shelling claimed at least one life.

In the initial phase of war, Ukraine won the advantage by successfully mobilizing mobile units equipped with anti-tank missiles from the West to combat Russian armoured convoys that were confined on roads and muddy terrain.

Putin is determined to take more Donbas land to prove victory in the war which has seen Russia be subject to increasing Western sanctions, and without many allies.

Ursula von der Leyen, head of European Commission, said that the next round of European Union sanctions against Russia would target both banks (including Sberbank) and oil.